1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to graphical user interfaces and, more particularly, user positional movement with respect to graphical user interfaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, display screens (e.g., monitors) used by personal computers have generally gotten larger in size and in pixel density. These display screens are used to present graphical user interfaces. The graphical user interfaces support various user interface controls to facilitate user interaction with the graphical user interfaces. Typically, user interface controls are selected using a mouse or other pointing device. Using the mouse or other pointing device, a user maneuvers a cursor over a particular user interface control and then activates the user interface control by clicking a button associated with the mouse or other pointing device. Unfortunately, however, as display screens and pixel densities get larger, the user interface controls that a user needs to interact with get smaller as a percentage of the display screen. As a result, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to select user interface controls.
Conventionally, mouse positioning on a display screen of a personal computer system uses a relative positioning approach. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional mouse positioning system 100. The conventional mouse positioning system 100 knows a current position for the mouse. The mouse positioning system 100 also receives mouse position change information, such as ΔX, ΔY, which is associated with relative movement of the mouse with respect to the current position. Using the current position and the position change information, the mouse positioning system 100 can determine a next position for the mouse. The mouse position is displayed on the display screen as a mouse indicator (cursor). Conventionally, in some embodiments, mouse positioning can further make use of acceleration so that greater mouse indicator movement on the display screen can be achieved based on the speed of the mouse movement.